Imagine you’re seeing a couple for therapy, and issues of AI arise. You’re not sure what this means, but Dr. Gottlieb has some ideas for you to consider:
- One partner is having an affair, but with a bot.
- One partner is getting advice from an "online counselor" without disclosing it to the therapist or knowing the "counselor's" qualifications.
- One partner uses technology to spy on the other e.g., hacking into their email and financial records.
- One partner uses a tracking device app to "follow" their spouse.
- One former partner impersonates the other to fabricate incriminating information in case of divorce.
In family therapy, Dr. Gottlieb, who has been a fixture in the Dallas psychological community for decades, has seen a full gamut of issues. He says, “There are inherent risks in the practice of psychology, including family psychology. If anything, advances in technology, and especially AI, make it more complicated to adhere to ethical guidelines.” With the widespread use of ChatGPT and other AI bots, Dr. Gottlieb has also seen interesting changes in the field and has some thoughts on how clinicians can respond and use AI responsibly.
Board Certified in Family Psychology, as well as a Clinical Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dr. Gottlieb has focused his career on the ethical practice of psychology, particularly in the areas of family and forensic psychology. He is a Past-President of the Dallas and Texas Psychological Associations, the American Board of Family Psychology and the Academy of Family Psychology. Presently, he is a member of the Ethics Committee of the American Psychological Association and the American Board of Professional Psychology.
An active scholar, Dr. Gottlieb writes on applied ethics and the interface of psychology and law. He has written or co-written eighty peer reviewed articles and book chapters, presented over eighty original papers, offered more than 100 professional workshops locally, nationally and internationally and has received over thirty awards for his professional accomplishments and service.
When asked about current topics in psychology, including the use of AI, Dr. Gottlieb offered sage advice for its implementation:
“My first recommendation is to go slow, be careful, and make every effort to understand what it does. If you don’t want to use it don’t unless failing to do so creates needless extra work for you. Much of this will depend on your circumstances as independent practitioners can make their own decisions about what AI to incorporate and how to use it. Those working in large institutions may have such systems imposed on them, and this creates significant and numerous potential problems. If you don’t want to adopt a system at this point, that’s fine, but be sure to keep up as it is likely you will want one in the future.”
In this ever-changing field, especially with the additional factor of AI, many clinicians might find themselves resistant. To those, Dr. Gottlieb shares the following:
“As a general matter, I don’t think that resistance is necessarily a bad idea, at least at this point. There is much we don’t know about this technology, therefore, going slowly is prudent. I suspect that over time, those who don’t want to use it at all will find themselves at a significant disadvantage, but we are not there yet.”
Reflecting on his career, Dr. Gottlieb noted humbly, “I suppose the thing that surprises me the most is how much I’ve accomplished given the relatively modest expectations I had for myself at the outset of my career.” In thinking about what is next for him, “I have no idea what is on the horizon, and I usually don’t try to predict these things. Rather, I try to remain open, aware, and mindful of emerging issues. What is certain, is that something will be coming and that it will be challenging.”
In his interview for the member spotlight, Dr. Gottlieb noted that he feels rewarded and gratified when publications are well received and help other people in numbers he can only imagine. Equally, if not more important, he derives “great satisfaction from teaching and helping students learn to practice both effectively and ethically.” As a trainer and supervisor of psychologists, as well as an active contributor to research and practitioner in the field, many have already been deeply impacted by Dr. Gottlieb’s work. We look forward to seeing what other contributions he makes, while honoring his efforts thus far.
Call for Member Spotlights
Do you have a DPA member that you’d like to see spotlighted? You can nominate someone (including yourself!) for inclusion in our Spring/Summer 2026 Newsletter. Please reach out to info@dpadallas.org for consideration.